No new show wants the pressure of being compared to a successful counterpart, let alone a behemoth like Grey's Anatomy. But, rightly or wrongly, Netflix's new medical drama Pulse has been unable to escape it.
The McSteamy of the hospital drama, Grey's's presence is more forceful than the hurricane that sweeps through episodes one to three of Pulse. And the Netflix series knows this, giving a cheeky honorary nod to the Shondaland beast that celebrates its 20th year on screen.
For those curious about the comparisons, let's begin by outlining that there are no panties pinned to the bulletin board, the elevators are not aphrodisiacs (they are just elevators) and Grey's fans expecting on-call rooms, with the bunk beds, please, "try to unlearn that."
However, as is a hallmark with shows like these, there are elaborate and impossible-to-pull-off surgeries made miraculously possible amidst a cascade of medical lingo too bamboozling for the average Joe to discern.
But it is the inappropriate liaisons that take root in this story, and that morph into something far more complex and troubling. Main character Danny Simms (Willa Fitzgerald) launches a sexual harassment claim against her boss, chief resident Xander Phillips (Colin Woodell), and this forms a central plot point.
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Set in Miami's fictional hospital Maguire Medical Center, the third-year medical student Danny struggles to deal with the unfortunate fallout of her claim, including damning hits on her reputation, as well as tension amongst her peers and friends. Charismatic and charming, Xander easily and steadily garners support as Danny's allyships slip away leaving her feeling more and more isolated.
Pulse's approach to its storytelling feels fresher than some of its on-screen counterparts, in that it drops viewers in the middle of the chaos.
On the surface, hurricane Abby's impact provides a sense of urgent tension that drives the story. Still also at play, the bubbling confusion and toxicity between Danny and Xander continues to build, adding mounting pressure.
It's a different and compelling approach that balances two types of narrative tension, keeping you engaged – however, it comes at the expense of character development.
Grey's success was forged out of the strength of its characters and the relationships those characters formed with each other. The steadily paced storytelling allowed facets of those characters to form fully, and because of this fans had a good sense of who those characters were which meant that even their flaws became endearing.
The domineering storylines in Pulse leave no time for that, and the creators do nothing to make up for how it affects the character's depth. Instead they offer one-dimensional backstories shoehorned in as a way of creating substance.
Quite a lot of the intimate moments between friends and loved ones are brief and happen in isolation, instead of being fed into the ongoing story, which makes them feel unearned and forced. Danny and best friend Elijah's (The Boys' Jessie T Usher) motto "never not there" springs to mind.
The relationships and the central people should be at the heart of the show, and it feels as though Pulse forgets this.
The initial excitement of being thrown into the eye of the storm doesn't outweigh our need for more from the characters. While this never truly changes, you do eventually grow to care about the Maguire gang, perhaps not quite as deeply as one would have liked but enough so it doesn't feel like a chore to stick with them.
This is, in part, down to being given an interesting narrative. But the actors do a lot of work here too; they may not have had much characterisation to work with, but still committed to each scene and feeling.
As such, the growing friendship between Sophie (Chelsea Muirhead) and Camila (Daniela Nieves) feels somewhat rewarding. Jack Bannon is utterly believable as the insufferable, egotistical, hot and cold surgical resident Tom Cole, and so his steps towards growth do hold some weight. Danny's relationship with her younger sister Harper (Jessy Yates) is also relatable and warming.
Ultimately, at its core, Pulse is an exploration of power. Yes, within the context of its sexual harassment storyline, but also more widely as the show examines the power dynamics amongst peers, rivals, competitors, seniors-to-juniors and lovers.
Pulse attempts to demonstrate the complexities within relationships where there is an inherent power imbalance. It scrutinises Danny and Xander's situation, splicing up the episodes with flashback scenes that are designed to illustrate just how murky and confusing those relationships can be; how easily lines can be crossed and behaviour can be explained away.
At this Pulse does a somewhat solid job, even if it's not perfect, ultimately landing in a satisfying place that neither fixes nor can fix those wounds. The conclusion is hopeful though, leaving those involved with a renewed perspective.
Pulse is available to stream now on Netflix.
TV writer, Digital Spy Janet completed her Masters degree in Magazine Journalism in 2013 and has continued to grow professionally within the industry ever since. For six years she honed her analytical reviewing skills at the Good Housekeeping institute eventually becoming Acting Head of Food testing. She also freelanced in the field of film and TV journalism from 2013-2020, when she interviewed A-List stars such as Samuel L Jackson, Colin Firth and Scarlett Johansson. In 2021 she joined Digital Spy as TV writer where she gets to delve into more of what she loves, watching copious amounts of telly all in the name of work. Since taking on the role she has conducted red carpet interviews with the cast of Bridgerton, covered the BAFTAs and been interviewed by BBC Radio and London Live. In her spare time she also moonlights as a published author, the book Gothic Angel.
